-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards was released from federal prison Thursday after serving about 10 years , the federal Bureau of Prisons said .

Edwards was convicted of racketeering , conspiracy and extortion after prosecutors said he asked for payoffs from people who applied for riverboat casino licenses in New Orleans in the 1990s .

Edwards , 83 , had pursued a pardon from President George W. Bush , but never got one . He began serving his sentence in February 2001 .

He was released from prison to a halfway house , said Edmond Ross , spokesman for the Bureau of Prisons .

At Edwards ' trial in 2000 , star witness Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. , former owner of the San Francisco 49ers , got a reduced sentence in exchange for testifying about his own $ 400,000 bribe to Edwards . He said he had felt compelled to make the payment . DeBartolo ended up not going through with the project after the scandal broke .

Allegations of corruption dogged Edwards throughout much of his political career , but he always maintained that he 'd never lose an election , and famously joked that he 'd keep his office unless he was caught `` in bed with a dead girl or a live boy . ''

Frequently during his trial -- for allegedly extorting almost $ 3 million from casino applicants -- he held his own court on the courthouse steps . `` Today , I took care of some housekeeping and had my car fixed and went and cashed a check before they freeze my accounts , '' he told reporters at one point .

Edwards served several terms in office -- from 1972 to 1980 , 1984 to 1988 and 1992 to 1996 . The Democrat , U.S. Navy aviation cadet and lawyer began his career as a city councilman and state representative before being elected to Congress , and then governor .

He won his first gubernatorial term `` by an unprecedented combination of ` Cajun ' and black votes , '' according to his biography on the Louisiana Secretary of State 's website .

`` Edwards named blacks to key state positions and his support of black politicians resulted in a mutually beneficial relationship , '' the biography says .

His third term `` was marked by federal indictments , but not convictions , for mail fraud , obstruction of justice and public bribery , '' the biography adds .

The bio does not refer to Edwards ' conviction later on .

The U.S. District Attorney 's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana , on its website , describes Edwards as `` leader of the corrupt enterprise whose objectives included the illegal and corrupt manipulation of the riverboat gaming licensing process during and after his four terms as governor . ''

`` Also convicted were Edwin 's son , Stephen Edwards and his close associates Andrew Martin , Cecil Brown , and Bobby Johnson , '' the office says .

CNN 's Dave Alsup contributed to this report .

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The former governor was convicted of extortion in casino industry

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Edwards had pursued a pardon from President Bush

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A former NFL team owner testified about a bribe during Edwards ' trial

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Edwards said he 'd keep his office unless he was caught with a `` dead girl or a live boy ''